//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Silent Night // by cerealkiller78 //------------------------------// Weeping. That was all Twilight did. It was the way her soul dealt with this sorrow, anger, and confusion that consumed her. This was wrong on so many levels. Everything was wrong. How could this have happened?... She knew the story, but still….How? Sunset’s left cheek looked so beaten up, even with the bandaging. She couldn’t help but wonder what had happened there. After deliberation with herself, she decided to ask the nurse about it, and made her way back to the door. Thankfully, the same nurse hadn’t gone too far, and Twilight was able to get her attention. She came back into the room where Twilight proceeded to inquire about Sunset’s cheek. “Oh...Well…I really think it would be best if you not know right now…” The nurse said uneasily, not wanting to be the one to break this to her. “I’m going to find out sooner or later. So it might as well be sooner.” Twilight reasoned. The nurse sighed. “I…really don’t know how to say this, but…when she was brought in, we noticed something quite disturbing…” Twilight waited for her to continue. “She…had what appeared to be some sort of burn on her cheek…in the shape of a sun…like a horse’s brand mark.” Twilight’s breath hitched in her throat. She felt like the entire world had stopped. A sun…brand?... Twilight’s eyes began to scrunch up. She felt an anger brewing in her, anger at herself for not being here sooner. Anger at CHS as a whole, and just pure anger for this whole world. She stepped out of the room, and back into the hallway. Seemingly forgetting about the nurse altogether, leaving her to look on in worry, but not stopping her. Twilight re-routed her way back to where the others were, a burning anger festering inside her. All eyes fell on her when they saw her return. Twilight didn’t say anything for a long moment. A silence fell on the group until Twilight finally broke it. “….I hope what you will see in that room will haunt you all for the rest of your lives.” Without another word, she left them. No one had it in them to go after her. What was the point? Aria was waiting for her outside, leaned up against a wall. Twilight didn’t even go to her, walking right past as she talked. “Change of plans Aria, we’re going back to the Portal.” “I’m guessing it either went really well, or really bad…” Twilight didn’t answer her. There wasn’t much talking done between the two of them on the way back to the school. Twilight was too caught up in her thoughts, and it was only when they passed an alley, that she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes. Backing up, she looked back into the alley. What she saw filled her with surprise at first, which was then replaced with an inexplicable rage. Aria saw the change in demeanor, but made no attempt to stop Twilight as she made her way into the alley. There was still a part of her deep down that enjoyed such sweet bitterness as this. The figure was sitting against the wall, not noticing Twilight until she was mere feet away from her. She looked up just in time to receive a punch to the face. The force of the blow caused her to fall back from the sitting position she was in, and into the ground. She wiped some blood from her mouth, before looking back to see who had even hit her, feeling defensive, and ready to return the favor…until she saw who it actually was. “T-Twilight?...” “How does it feel Dash? How does it feel to be on the receiving end? To be knocked down? To be turned on by your own friend?” “I-“ “HOW does it feel??” Twilight cut her off. “You’re really pathetic, you know that Dash? You’re a traitor, both to yourself, and your friends.” “Twi-“ “You’re a disgrace to loyalty. What you have done is unforgivable.” “Would you just-“ “How does it feel to not have a chance to explain yourself?” Twilight pressed on. “How does it feel to have your friend not want anything to do with you anymore? From now on, in my eyes, you’re just another person who took part in an abominable act against someone who IS an actual friend of mine.” Twilight stepped menacingly closer. “You’re always bragging about how you wouldn’t hesitate to put anyone in the hospital if they ever tried to harm your friends. Maybe I should follow your example...” T-Twi, you’re scaring me…” “Good Dash! I hope you’re scared. I hope you’re very scared. It’ll give you even a small taste of what was going through Sunset’s head when thirty plus students were closing in on her like a pack of wolves…What she felt when they beat her relentlessly until she was numb from head to foot.” Her voice began to crack. “What she felt like when they pinned her to the ground and branded her like a horse!” Rainbow looked increasingly guilty with each statement from Twilight, until that last one, which filled her with both confusion and dread. “Wait…What?” “Oh, I’m sorry if Gilda didn’t fill you in on all the details that they were going to do…” “Twi…Tell me you’re exaggerating.” She whispered. “How I wish I was…” “I-…That can’t be true!!...It’s not…” “It is Dash!! One of the nurses told me. Stop denying, and start taking responsibility for your actions for once.” Fuming, she turned to leave, feeling that if she stayed much longer, she would likely end up doing something less than pleasant. Rainbow was too dumbfounded to say anything else as she watched Twilight walk out on her, most likely for good. She ultimately decided that she had to go back to the hospital. It seemed to be only right. But then again, what even could be called right anymore? Pain. It was the very frst thing she became aware of when she started waking up. She felt like she had the mother of all migraines, and her body felt like it had been hit by a bus. She tried focusing her good eye, but all she could make out were blurred images. Wha?....Where?....She tried formulating a coherent thought inside her own head. Her hearing was still fuzzy, but she managed to make out someone in the distance saying “She’s waking up.” She’s waking up…She’s waking up…The phrase repeated itself in her head, as memories came flooding back. She saw a gym, and then a cold place. She remembered being held down as her flesh was burned, and then being whipped. Overall, she remembered the sheer pain of it all. She looked up again, there were now figures standing over her. Something snapped inside her. She tried moving her arm, but a jolt of pain stopped her. She gasped and fell into a coughing fit, the figures above her were saying something, but she couldn’t make it out. She had only one goal in mind, and that was to get out of here. After many hours of getting Sunset’s condition under control, the doctors and nurses were finally able to slow down a little bit and were able to do other things, while still keeping a close watch on her, but for the most part, they left her to rest. They had let one visitor in to see her, but that had been it so far. One of the doctors had come back into the room, doing a regular check-up on her to make sure nothing had changed. Everything seemed to be well, and he was about to leave the room, when he heard a moan. He turned back around to the bed, where, amazingly, she was indeed beginning to stir. Going back to the door, he called, “Guys, she’s waking up!” Two others came into the room, going to the bed. Her one good eye was open, but had a glazed look to it, until it seemed to land on them, at which, she took on an expression of fear. She began moving and jerking her body around in a fearful attempt to get away. In her condition, it really wasn’t much, but it was still enough to jar her body as she went into a coughing fit. One doctor took her hand gently, hoping to soothe and calm her down. “Sunset, honey, you’re in a hospital right now. You’re safe now, but we need you to relax, or you’re going to hurt yourself more.” Sunset didn’t even seem to hear what he had just said, the only response she gave were whimpers, and repeated mumblings of “Twilight…” “D-Did she just say Twilight? Isn’t that the girl who came in here earlier?” “Well, if she’s still out there, bring her back in here. Maybe she can help.” The nurse left the room, and once again, was on her way back to that now familiar setting where that group was. From what she could remember the girl looking like, she didn’t recognize any of those presently seated, as the girl she was looking for. “Is there still a “Twilight” in your guy’s group?” She asked hopefully. A quiet “no.” was the only answer she got, which she barely even heard from one of the girls. Nobody even had the journal on them to contact Twilight right now. Not that she would even bother answering if they had. The nurse honestly wasn’t surprised the girl had left. She was pretty upset when she had walked out of that room. Suddenly, another woman spoke up. “Is something the matter? Has anything changed?” She asked. “Well…Yes. She has actually woken up.” That got a reaction. “She’s awake?!” Rarity gasped with relief. “All we’ve really gotten out of her so far is repeated mumblings of “Twilight.” “Maybe it would help if I were to go in there. I’m her principal.” Celestia spoke up. Seeing as this Twilight wasn’t around, she figured letting the principal in was probably the next best option. So she consented, and gestured for Celestia to follow.